Among the highlights of the recent 100- year anniversary celebration of The Friday Afternoon Club in Boone was the presentation of the newly released cookbook by and for the current club members, exclusively. And that was in addition to the dainty cucumber sandwiches, cheese straws, petit fours and Ellen Payne’s Golden Punch served on decorative tables and silver trays — all reminiscent of the English Teas of days gone by and similar to the club’s gatherings over the last century.

The Friday Afternoon Club Cookbook is so much more than just another collection of recipes; this keepsake includes those time-honored favorites of some of the club’s early members, as well as those of their descendants who are keeping the legacy alive today. Also included are historic notes and photographs depicting life of the Friday Afternoon Club, from its origin as a sewing club in 1918 to present day Saturday morning breakfast meetings. (See related story elsewhere on this website.)

Let’s take a brief look at some of these treasured favorites in honor of Boone’s Oldest Women’s Social Club and try to imagine what life was like “back in the day,” when these genteel Southern ladies dressed in their finest attire and greeted guests into their lovely homes for an afternoon of food, fun and fellowship — when only the best would pass test.

Ellen Payne’s Golden Punch

Submitted by Cinda Payne-Smith

(This proved to be a crowd favorite at the centennial celebration. We couldn’t get enough, and according to Cinda’s note, it was one of her favorite treats at her grandmother’s house when she was a child.)

Blend butter and cheese, stir in flour, Rice Krispies and cayenne pepper. Shape into one-inch balls and press with fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Mrs. A. E. South’s Salmon Loaf or Croquettes

Submitted by Alma Winkler

1 can of salmon

Juice of ½ lemon

1 cup leftover mashed potatoes

½ cup bread crumbs

1 egg

Black pepper

Remove bones from one can of salmon. Add to salmon the lemon juice, mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, egg and black pepper. Mix thoroughly and pack into greased loaf pan. Bake about 25-30 minutes. Remove to platter and cover with a white sauce in which 2 boiled eggs have been sliced. Garnish with a sprig of parsley on top, if desired. Above mixture may be shaped into croquettes and fried in hot fat. Try crushing some cornflakes, coat each croquette with these crumbs, then fry.

Margaret Councill’s Chicken Tetrazzini

Submitted by Becky Councill

5-6 lb. chicken, cooked, cooled and cut up

4 cans cream of mushroom soup

2 cans of mushrooms with liquid

2 small jars chopped pimentos, drained

6 oz. almonds

1 pkg. spaghetti, cooked in chicken broth

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup sherry

Mix all ingredients, sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Makes one large casserole for 12 people, or two small ones for six people. May be frozen.

Appalachian Coffee Cake

Submitted by Kathleen Dougherty

(This is the coffee cake recipe that was used for the President’s Breakfast at Appalachian State Teacher’s College in the 1940s.)

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

½ cup sugar

6 Tbsp. butter

1 egg, well beaten

½ cup milk

Topping:

1 ½ Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. flour

4 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Sift flour once, adding baking powder, salt and sugar, and stir again. Cut in butter. Combine egg and milk and add all at once to flour mixture. Stir until mixture is blended. Turn into a greased 9-inch pan, spreading evenly. Brush top with melted butter. Mix together brown sugar, flour, nuts (optional) and cinnamon for topping and stir evenly over butter. Bake in a hot oven 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Whip well chilled heavy whipping cream, add sugar and vanilla. Spread 1 tablespoon of the whipped cream mixture on each wafer and stack them in four stacks with 6 wafers each. Line up cookie stacks to make a log. Spread with remaining whipped cream and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. It will keep up to two days in refrigerator.